Prostate diseases such as prostatitis, benign prostatic hypertrophy, prostatodynia, and prostate carcinoma afflict many adult males. The largest population of men stricken with prostate problems are those over age fifty. However, inherited prostate problems can appear in much younger men.
Benign prostatic hypertrophy is a condition where the prostate over-grows or becomes enlarged. Prostate growth is controlled by androgen receptors found in the prostate gland. When the androgen receptors are stimulated by 5-alpha-dihydrotesterone (DHT), they cause the prostate to grow. DHT is produced by an enzymatic conversion of testosterone in the prostate.
Over the past twenty years a variety of approaches have been developed to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy. In general, these approaches alter the prostatic tissue volume or the biochemistry of the prostate, and they include the application of heat, cold, chemical agents, pharmaceutical agents and radiation. In recent years, a number of minimally invasive technologies have been developed, including radiation, RF ablation, microwave ablation, cryogenic ablation/freezing, and chemo-ablation. Chemo-ablative approaches, including injection of alcohol or salt solutions, have been evaluated for the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy. However, the lack of delivery control when administering presently known ablative liquids has led to unpredictable retention of the same, leading to nonspecific ablation of both the prostate as well as surrounding tissues and organs.